(A) Short title. This section may be referred to as the "Limitation on Use of Seed Money Ordinance".
(B) Limitation on use of seed money. Seed money collected by applicant candidates under the provisions of the Open and Ethical Elections Code, in addition to the limitations contained in that Code, shall be subject to the following limitations:
(1) All goods and services received prior to certification must be paid for with seed money contributions, except for goods and services that are excluded from the definition of contribution in Article XIII, Section 2, subsection g. It is a violation of this ordinance for a participating candidate to use fund revenues received after certification to pay for goods and services received prior to certification.
(2) Prior to certification, an applicant candidate may obligate an amount greater than the seed money collected, but may only receive that portion of goods and services that has been paid for or will be paid for with seed money. An applicant candidate who has accepted contributions or made expenditures that do not comply with the seed money restrictions under this chapter may petition the Clerk to remain eligible for certification as a participating candidate if the failure to comply was unintentional and does not constitute a significant infraction of these restrictions.
(3) An applicant candidate or participating candidate who receives a contribution exceeding the seed money per donor restriction or the total amount restriction must immediately return the contribution and may not otherwise use the contribution.
(Ord. 2019-019; Am. Ord. 2022-041)